Mitt Romney Fights the War on Terrier

The Boston Globe has taken a look at serious Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's positions toward vacationing with the family dog:

The destination for this journey in the summer of 1983 was his parents' cottage on the Canadian shores of Lake Huron.... Before beginning the drive, Mitt Romney put Seamus, the family's hulking Irish setter, in a dog carrier and attached it to the station wagon's roof rack. He'd built a windshield for the carrier, to make the ride more comfortable for the dog.

Then Romney put his boys on notice: He would be making predetermined stops for gas, and that was it... As the oldest son, Tagg Romney commandeered the way-back of the wagon, keeping his eyes fixed out the rear window, where he glimpsed the first sign of trouble. ''Dad!'' he yelled. ''Gross!'' A brown liquid was dripping down the back window, payback from an Irish setter who'd been riding on the roof in the wind for hours.

As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station. There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway.

So Romney's way of dealing with the family dog on vacation was to strap it to the roof of the car. He put up a windbreak for it, which I'm sure made six hours in a crate, traveling at high speeds with ear-crushing wind howing past you, a real treat for the pooch. When the dog loses complete control of its bowels, the Mittster just hoses it down and continues on his merry way.

OK, I admit I stole this joke from a commenter on Time's Swampland blog: Mitt asked Seamus where he wanted to ride, and the dog said, "Roof!"